


From Ashes

by alessandralee



Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, F/F, Minor Character Death, Soulmates
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-08
Updated: 2014-12-08
Packaged: 2018-02-28 16:47:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,001
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2739767
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/alessandralee/pseuds/alessandralee
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jemma and Bobbi meet at a support group for people whose soulmates have died. They're both in mourning, but it helps to have someone who understands.</p>
            </blockquote>





	From Ashes

Jemma doesn’t talk much in group, and usually that suits her just fine. She doesn’t have any happy memories of her soulmate the way most people do, and her one sad memory isn’t even that sad in comparison.

But it’s been five years since the accident, and today she just needs to talk.

“Hello, my Jemma. I never met my soulmate. I don’t even know if it was a man or a woman. Imagine being a confused 13 year old hoping for a little clarity, only to have the name Kendall appear on your wrist,” she laughs nervously. “But that’s beside the point. When I was twenty-one, I woke up one morning to find that Kendall’s name had scarred over. I panicked, but somehow it occurred to me to turn on the news. A few minutes in and they’re covering a massive explosion at an oil refinery in Texas. It happened while I was asleep, I assume that’s where Kendall was.”

She could be wrong. Plenty of people died of heart attacks or car accidents or muggings that day. But the explosion in Corpus Christi just makes sense in that small part of Jemma’s brain that isn’t completely rational.

“Today marks five years since Kendall died,” she continues. “I’m still trying to figure out how to mourn a person I never even knew, and all the possibilities that flew out the door.”

She sits back down and forces herself not to think about all the different ways she could have met a person who works in Texas. Plenty of people cry in support group meetings, but Jemma doesn’t want to be one of them.

Jemma hasn’t seen the next woman to speak before. She’s tall and blonde and has a cute little mole between her eyes. She’s gorgeous.

“Hello, my name is Bobbi,” she introduces herself. She’s American, just like Jemma’s soulmate probably was. “My soulmate, Clint, died a year and six weeks ago. I held him in my arms as he died, but it didn’t even feel real until I looked at my wrist hours later and saw his name scarred over.”

This is why Jemma doesn’t like to speak at group. How can her confusion compare to grief like Bobbi’s?

“I told myself that after I year, I needed to make a change. Which is why I’m here, in a new city in a new country on the opposite side of the Atlantic Ocean. I’m hoping a change of scenery will help me move forward. But first I have to stop spending all my time in my apartment—er… flat,” Bobbi corrects herself.

The sharing moves on to people Jemma’s more familiar with, but her thoughts never really stray from Bobbi.

Bobbi looks like she could use a friend. Jemma could use one too. She does have friends, but all of them have happily met their soulmates or are waiting on someone who’s still out there. Bobbi might actually come close to understanding what Jemma’s been through.

“So you’re new to London,” Jemma approaches Bobbi. “Have you seen any of the sights?”

Bobbi shakes her head, “Not unless you count the Ikea in Wembley. I’ve mostly just been unpacking and working.”

“So you haven’t gotten to enjoy the nightlife either, then?” Jemma asks. She wonders if it’s too short notice to invite Bobbi to dinner tonight.

Normally, she’d propose a more socially acceptable timeline, but Jemma would really like something to do tonight to distract from the urge to google any Kendalls who may have died in the Corpus Christi explosion.

Her mother keeps suggesting that she at least find out if her soulmate is a man or a woman, but Jemma doesn’t want more details. She doesn’t want to know any more about what she’s missing out on.

“Just the fast food restaurants near my place. I haven’t really worked up the courage to eat out alone,” Bobbi explains.

“Would you like to join me for dinner, then?” Jemma asks. “There’s a great pub near my flat. It’d be a good start to a new city.”

Bobbi smiles, “Does tonight work?”

Jemma takes the tube across town to meet Bobbi for dinner, even though the pub they’re going to is closer to Jemma’s. Bobbi’s not as familiar with London as Jemma is, so she appreciates the gesture.

The pub is busy and loud, but Bobbi loves it. They can’t hear each other well, but there’s time for conversation during a long walk after dinner. Jemma shows Bobbi a bunch of the big tourist sites, and promises to go with her to the London Eye later that week (even if she’s already ridden it 5 times).

It’s exactly the distraction Jemma needs. If she’s explaining London to Bobbi, she doesn’t have to think about Kendall. She comes home exhausted from all the walking and falls asleep easily.

Their relationship progresses slowly. They’re both still mourning, especially Bobbi. They become friends. Jemma introduces Bobbi to Fitz, her best friend.

When Bobbi asks Jemma out on an official date, after nearly two years of friendship, Jemma is ecstatic. Fitz is happy for her, and tolerates thirty minutes of listing to Jemma agonize over outfit choices. He only points out that Bobbi’s already seen Jemma at her sloppiest once.

It takes years for Bobbi to propose to Jemma. They both know how easily relationships between non-soulmates can fall apart, but eventually they’re sure. The ceremony is small, they don’t want to attract attention.

Sometimes expects a new soulmate mark to appear on her wrist with Bobbi’s name. Sometimes things are so easy, Jemma can’t imagine having an actual soulmate being any better. But sometimes Bobbi wakes up from nightmares and scoots to end of the bed, desperate to avoid Jemma’s touch. Sometimes Bobbi gets this far away look in her eyes and Jemma knows she’s thinking about someone else.

Sometimes it’s easy and sometimes it’s awful. But they love each other, and the good always outweighs the bad. It’s more than enough.


End file.
